Eight Betul Pilgrims Killed as Minibus Falls Into Drain Near Kota

Eight people from Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district were killed and several others injured when the tempo traveller they were travelling in veered off the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and fell into a 15-foot-deep drain in Rajasthan’s Kota district around 6 am on Saturday, police said. The accident took place near pole number 384 under the Simliya police station limits.

What Happened On The Expressway

The vehicle was carrying about 17 passengers, all from Ghatbiroli village under the Multai police station in Betul, Betul Superintendent of Police Virendra Jain said. The victims were related to one another. Kota SP Sujit Shankar said the group had come to Rajasthan for a four-day tour and was heading to the Khatu Shyam temple in Sikar district. They had left Bhopal around 7 pm on Friday.

Silt and water in the drain slowed the rescue, and cranes were used to lift the vehicle and free trapped passengers. Police initially said about nine people were injured; later reports, citing police, put the number at 15, with several in serious condition at New Medical College Hospital and MBS Hospital in Kota.

Cause Under Investigation

Police suspect the driver may have dozed off, but the exact cause has not been established and an investigation is under way, according to reports. Multai police station house officer Vikas Patel visited the bereaved families, who were preparing to travel to Kota to collect the bodies.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav called the accident extremely tragic and announced Rs 4 lakh for the family of each person killed. State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal, who represents Betul in the Assembly, said the state government was coordinating with the Rajasthan administration on treatment for the injured.

Why It Matters For Travellers

The festival season brings a sharp rise in long-distance road trips by families and pilgrim groups, many in hired minibuses that travel through the night. Early-morning hours after an overnight drive are known to be a period of high risk for driver fatigue, even on modern expressways built for speed.

For families planning such trips, the accident is a reminder to check that drivers are rested, to plan halts on long journeys and to use seat belts where fitted. Earlier coverage of road safety incidents, such as this accident in Uttar Pradesh, shows how often such crashes involve whole families.

Police in Kota are expected to complete the post-mortem and hand over the bodies to the families. Further updates will appear in our Daily Updates section.

Based on reporting by The Tribune / PTI, DT Next, Daily Excelsior and Social News XYZ / IANS.

Image: DT Next / PTI.